Friday, November 28, 2008

Three Years???!!!

Not to voice an oft-repeated cliche (is that redundant?--isn't "oft repeating" what makes something a cliche?), but I have no idea where the time has gone.

elle, abd/elle, phd is three years old today. It began as an attempt to catalogue my journey through grad school as a single mother and someone affected by and writing about oppression of women, people of color, and the poor. I have grown so much in three years--I think I've learned as much from other bloggers as I did from some grad classes.

One of the biggest benefits for me personally and academically has been the encouragement of critical analyses by radical WoC--particularly things that I wouldn't have necessarily thought fell within the scope of my narrowly defined conception of race, class, and gender, and the expansion of my work and my mind to examine other systems of oppression like heterosexism and ablism.

In many ways, I'm still learning, still struggling, still saying shit that makes me bite my lip and shake my head later (I want to erase so much of my archives as I re-read :-). I've become so discouraged with my ignorance that I've had to take time off to reassure myself this space is mine to make mistakes and show knowledge gaps and be flat-out wrong sometimes. I am always encouraged by a quote that BFP left for me once, from Maya Angelou--"You did what you knew how to do, and when you knew better, you did better." And I can comfort myself that this is true.

I finally feel as if so many things fit, in terms of my beliefs and politics and this blog gives me room to pursue my love of writing and my examination of self and the world at large.

I tried, so much as an adolescent and a young woman to keep a diary. And while this journal is not as unvarnished as a private one would be, it is still intensely personal, still full of my thoughts and dreams and fears and frustrations.

And I'm so proud that I've stuck with it.

Happy Blogiversary to me!

18 comments:

RageyOne said...

Elle - I've enjoyed reading your words over the years. Happy Blogiversary!

Kismet Nuñez said...

Elle (sistorian and soror) -- You've been a constant inspiration for me. HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!!!!

Melissa McEwan said...

Congratulations!!! :-D

Anonymous said...

YEAH!! HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!
so thankful for you, your words, being in community with you.

here is to many more years!

bfp said...

I thank you, ma'am, for opening your doors to me while I've been homeless. I couldn't ask for a more welcoming space, and I am deeply, deeply appreciative of your hospitality and eternal friendship!

xo

mrs. o said...

HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY ELLE!!!! I have learned so much from reading your posts. Thank you for all the work you put into this blog, so that I am able to become a more enlightened individual.

Nadia said...

happy happy happy blogiversary elle! thank you for blogging and for sharing your knowledge, life and journey. i can really relate to this: "I've become so discouraged with my ignorance that I've had to take time off to reassure myself this space is mine to make mistakes and show knowledge gaps and be flat-out wrong sometimes." thank you for being real.

<3

QuakerDave said...

Happy blogiversary.

I admire your work here because every time I visit, I learn something. And learning new stuff always makes my day.

Kiki BE said...

Happy blogiversary!!

Hagar's Daughter said...

Keep up the good work. Your question of the week about hope is the basis for a sermon I am preaching on the first Sunday of Advent.

Great teachers will inspire greatness and creativity.

elle said...

Thank you all--sorry for the delay, but I've been in and out all day and am soooo tired.

I could not imagine my blogging experience without y'all.

Renee said...

Congratulations...I love hanging out here so I for one am glad that you made your journey public. Thanks for sharing and here is to three more years.

Joan Kelly said...

Happy Anniversary-of-your-blog and I love that you are blogging. xoxo

Gladys said...

hear hear! sorry i'm a day late to wish you happy blogiversary! and i join everyone else in saying that i have appreciated reading your thoughts and hearing about your process. i only wish i were as fearless and wise in my own blog. congrats!

hesperia said...

I'm just catching up after being away so I missed saying this:

HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY! And many more! I love this blog!

Hmm, I can't sign this comment using my regular blog site i.d. -
it's hysperia from mirabile dictu.

CCG said...

HAAAAAA-PPPPPYYYY BIIIIIRRRFFF-DAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!

CCG said...

HAAAAAA-PPPPPYYYY BIIIIIRRRFFF-DAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!

lauredhel said...

Congratulations!

Some artistic soul really needs to come up with a Happy Blogiversary song.

Revelations and ruminations from one southern sistorian...